Back in my youth ministry days, I was always a little disappointed to hear that youth workers ranked pretty low on the list of “top spiritual influences” in the lives of teenagers. But it was true. Researchers found that parents, not youth workers, were at the top of the list. Next came grandparents, then other extended family members and close family friends. Pastors and  children’s and youth ministry leaders did show up on the list of spiritual influencers—but far below parents and grandparents. So, later in my youth ministry career, I turned......

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